The Adventures of Elijah and Buddy

A dark shadow

I barely slept that night. First, because of the rusty old spring. Second, because of the thoughts left in my mind that sent me to tears. When I awoke the next morning everything hurting, it felt like needles poking me from head to toe. I then noticed there was something in my pocket. It was round and I felt like it was engraved with something. There were two more but these ones were smaller. My curiosity got the best of me, so I grabbed the zipper and dragged it across the pocket, revealing a loonie and two quarters that my mom had given me as change for the vending machine at the cafe!

I jumped with joy grasping those precious coins of gold. I immediately started to think of what I was going to buy. My first thought was clean, delicious filtered water. It's only been maybe a day but my throat is dry as a desert. Maybe some food too, and a toothbrush would be nice. Or a few blankets to keep me warm in the cold nights lying ahead. All I had done was think of semi-warm food in my body and feeling the water run down my throat. I sat there and thought instead of going to a store.

As I rose to my feet to go to a local shop I stopped in my tracks when I heard a noise that I could not explain. It was almost like a whimper but deeper followed by footsteps. Certainly not human ones though. They sounded like something out of a horror movie. Almost like claws dragging then lifting, then returning to the cold rocky concrete. I was frozen in my place. I stood so still I only blinked when my eyes started to burn.

The sound then stopped, and I heard a deep moan. I gathered all my courage and stuck my hand into the dumpster hoping to find something to protect myself. felt around. "Ew ew ew" I whispered to myself trying not to let the thing hear me. AHHHH! I yelled, for I had felt something furry and it had moved. I immediately noticed my mistake and slapped my hand over my mouth. I then heard a deep grumble followed by two kikes from the dark shadow.

I then saw a mouse run out of the dark edge of the alley where I saw the dark grumbling shadow of death. I told myself "oh well what was I scared of" so again, I went to investigate what he had done to my alley. "Ghumpf". I flung backward in fear. It was still there! I got onto my knees and peered into the distance. I saw something that would stay with me my entire life.